Artfactories

The association "Autresparts", set up in September 2000, is a think-tank bringing together cultural actors and researchers on the relationship between art, territory and society. It merged in November 2007 with the Artfactories association, an European resource center on brownfields transformed into artistic spaces.

Factories of the imagination

As a testimony of the know-how and running process of those places, this work also deals with the issues of their urban, social, cultural and political inscription in order to emphasise how they can be useful to cultural action.

This publication is available in French version only, in our office but also in most TEH centres. We apologize for not being able to offer an English version anymore but it has been entirely sold out.

Since 1983, TransEuropeHalles has gathered independent cultural centres under it’s network. Settled in former industrial or commercial sites these cultural centres, all in different ways, chose to innovate by offering a thousand and one creations to the public and a thousand and one venues to creators.

Relying on seventeen initiatives that have been able to perpetuate their activities and their structure, the book Factories of the imagination presents the various policies and aims developed by TransEuropeHalles.

The TransEuropeHalles European network has a membership today of 30 independent and multidisciplinary cultural centres, in 19 European countries. Open and liveable, they share the same spirit, in favour of young creation, emerging artistic processes as well as new cultural and social practices. Arising from citizens1 initiatives, these centres build themselves thanks to the creative energies they generate, and are devoted to giving a place for cultural innovation on urban territory.